Heneage Finch, 3rd Earl of Winchilsea
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Sir Heneage Finch, 3rd Earl of Winchilsea (1628–1689) of Eastwell, Kent
, was the 3rd Earl of Winchilsea
.
Finch was the son of Thomas Finch, 2nd Earl of Winchilsea, and the grandson of Elizabeth Finch, 1st Countess of Winchilsea
. His first cousin was Heneage Finch, 1st Earl of Nottingham
. He married four times and was the father of at least 16 children. He married his first wife Diana, daughter of Francis Willoughby, 5th Baron Willoughby of Parham
and Elizabeth Cecil, on 21 May 1645. His married his second wife Mary Seymour the daughter of William Seymour, 2nd Duke of Somerset
and Lady Frances Devereux, about 1650. He married third, Catherine Norcliffe, daughter of Sir Thomas Norcliffe, on 10 April 1673. He married his fourth wife Elizabeth Ayres on 29 October 1681. She was the mother of John Finch, 6th Earl of Winchilsea
, who died unmarried and without issue.
William Finch was his first son and heir by Mary and born before 1654, he bore the courtesy title
of the Lord Maidstone, and later died in battle at sea. The second child of this family was a daughter Frances (wed Thomas Thynne, 1st Viscount Weymouth), and in 1657 the third was a son named Heneage
, born January 11, 1657. His son Heneage Finch, 5th Earl of Winchilsea
was married to Anne, the daughter of Sir William Kingsmill. Before October 1660 when the Heneage family went to Turkey
, a third son Thomas was born (1658). Finch's grandson Henry Thynne
(1675–1708) was the son of his daughter Frances.
"His contemporaries called him 'amorous', and in Turkey he was reputed to have 'had many women' and 'built little houses for them'. "
On his return from Turkey in June 1668, King Charles II
remarked to Finch, "My Lord, you have not only built a town, but peopled it too".
Lord Finch was appointed by his friend George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle
a Governor of Dover Castle
, and Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports
in the July of 1660, also Lord Lieutenant of Kent and afterwards ambassador to the Ottoman Empire
and served in this capacity from between 1660–69.
Samuel Pepys
first referred to him as the Lord Winchilsea. (Note the difference in spelling from the modern place name, Winchelsea
.)
King Charles II had landed at Kent on his way to London
to secure the throne on the 25th of May, 1660. The King arrived in Dover
with 20 ships and frigates, the Lord General and his life guard was accompanied by the Earl of Winchelsea to the cheer of the crowding locals gathered upon the beach to witness a salute fired from the guns of Dover Castle
.
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, was the 3rd Earl of Winchilsea
Earl of Winchilsea
Earl of Winchilsea and Earl of Nottingham are two titles in the Peerage of England held by the Finch family that have been united under a single holder since 1729. The Finch family is believed to be descended from Henry FitzHerbert, Lord Chamberlain to King Henry I . The name change came in the...
.
Finch was the son of Thomas Finch, 2nd Earl of Winchilsea, and the grandson of Elizabeth Finch, 1st Countess of Winchilsea
Elizabeth Finch, 1st Countess of Winchilsea
Elizabeth Finch, née Heneage, 1st Countess of Winchilsea was an English peeress.Elizabeth was the daughter and heiress of Sir Thomas Heneage, who was Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Vice-Chamberlain of the Household in the latter years of the reign of Elizabeth I...
. His first cousin was Heneage Finch, 1st Earl of Nottingham
Heneage Finch, 1st Earl of Nottingham
Heneage Finch, 1st Earl of Nottingham, PC , Lord Chancellor of England, was descended from the old family of Finch, many of whose members had attained high legal eminence, and was the eldest son of Sir Heneage Finch, recorder of London, by his first wife Frances Bell, daughter of Sir Edmond Bell of...
. He married four times and was the father of at least 16 children. He married his first wife Diana, daughter of Francis Willoughby, 5th Baron Willoughby of Parham
Francis Willoughby, 5th Baron Willoughby of Parham
Francis Willoughby, 5th Baron Willoughby of Parham was an English peer of the House of Lords.He succeeded to the title 14 October 1617 on the death in infancy of his elder brother Henry Willoughby, 4th Lord Willoughby of Parham...
and Elizabeth Cecil, on 21 May 1645. His married his second wife Mary Seymour the daughter of William Seymour, 2nd Duke of Somerset
William Seymour, 2nd Duke of Somerset
Sir William Seymour, 2nd Duke of Somerset, KG was an English nobleman and Royalist commander in the English Civil War....
and Lady Frances Devereux, about 1650. He married third, Catherine Norcliffe, daughter of Sir Thomas Norcliffe, on 10 April 1673. He married his fourth wife Elizabeth Ayres on 29 October 1681. She was the mother of John Finch, 6th Earl of Winchilsea
John Finch, 6th Earl of Winchilsea
John Finch, 6th Earl of Winchilsea was an English peer.He was son of Heneage Finch, 3rd Earl of Winchilsea and his fourth wife Elizabeth Ayres ....
, who died unmarried and without issue.
William Finch was his first son and heir by Mary and born before 1654, he bore the courtesy title
Courtesy title
A courtesy title is a form of address in systems of nobility used for children, former wives and other close relatives of a peer. These styles are used 'by courtesy' in the sense that the relatives do not themselves hold substantive titles...
of the Lord Maidstone, and later died in battle at sea. The second child of this family was a daughter Frances (wed Thomas Thynne, 1st Viscount Weymouth), and in 1657 the third was a son named Heneage
Heneage Finch, 5th Earl of Winchilsea
Heneage Finch, 5th Earl of Winchilsea FSA was an English peer, styled Hon. Heneage Finch until 1712. He was the son of Heneage Finch, 3rd Earl of Winchilsea and Mary Seymour....
, born January 11, 1657. His son Heneage Finch, 5th Earl of Winchilsea
Heneage Finch, 5th Earl of Winchilsea
Heneage Finch, 5th Earl of Winchilsea FSA was an English peer, styled Hon. Heneage Finch until 1712. He was the son of Heneage Finch, 3rd Earl of Winchilsea and Mary Seymour....
was married to Anne, the daughter of Sir William Kingsmill. Before October 1660 when the Heneage family went to Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, a third son Thomas was born (1658). Finch's grandson Henry Thynne
Henry Thynne (1675–1708)
Henry Thynne was an English gentleman and Tory Member of Parliament.Thynne was the eldest of the three sons of Thomas Thynne, 1st Viscount Weymouth , of Longleat, a substantial landowner in Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, by his marriage to Lady Frances Finch, a daughter of Heneage Finch, 3rd Earl...
(1675–1708) was the son of his daughter Frances.
"His contemporaries called him 'amorous', and in Turkey he was reputed to have 'had many women' and 'built little houses for them'. "
On his return from Turkey in June 1668, King Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
remarked to Finch, "My Lord, you have not only built a town, but peopled it too".
Lord Finch was appointed by his friend George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle
George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle
George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle, KG was an English soldier and politician and a key figure in the restoration of Charles II.-Early life and career:...
a Governor of Dover Castle
Dover Castle
Dover Castle is a medieval castle in the town of the same name in the English county of Kent. It was founded in the 12th century and has been described as the "Key to England" due to its defensive significance throughout history...
, and Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports
Cinque Ports
The Confederation of Cinque Ports is a historic series of coastal towns in Kent and Sussex. It was originally formed for military and trade purposes, but is now entirely ceremonial. It lies at the eastern end of the English Channel, where the crossing to the continent is narrowest...
in the July of 1660, also Lord Lieutenant of Kent and afterwards ambassador to the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
and served in this capacity from between 1660–69.
Samuel Pepys
Samuel Pepys
Samuel Pepys FRS, MP, JP, was an English naval administrator and Member of Parliament who is now most famous for the diary he kept for a decade while still a relatively young man...
first referred to him as the Lord Winchilsea. (Note the difference in spelling from the modern place name, Winchelsea
Winchelsea
Winchelsea is a small village in East Sussex, England, located between the High Weald and the Romney Marsh, approximately two miles south west of Rye and seven miles north east of Hastings...
.)
King Charles II had landed at Kent on his way to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to secure the throne on the 25th of May, 1660. The King arrived in Dover
Dover
Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
with 20 ships and frigates, the Lord General and his life guard was accompanied by the Earl of Winchelsea to the cheer of the crowding locals gathered upon the beach to witness a salute fired from the guns of Dover Castle
Dover Castle
Dover Castle is a medieval castle in the town of the same name in the English county of Kent. It was founded in the 12th century and has been described as the "Key to England" due to its defensive significance throughout history...
.